Jamshoro: An outbreak of cholera and acute diarrhea has claimed seven lives — including women and five children — in Faiz Muhammad Barfat village, located in the UC Mol area of District Jamshoro. Dozens of residents remain affected, while the number of patients being brought to local hospitals continues to rise.
In response to the situation, the Sindh Health Department, District Jamshoro administration, District Malir authorities, and Alkhidmat Foundation have set up medical camps and deployed mobile hospitals in the area to treat patients.
According to local residents, the outbreak began on October 17, when people started experiencing vomiting and severe diarrhea, which quickly spread across the entire village. Residents said that they rely on underground bore water for drinking, which is highly contaminated, and that no alternative source of clean water exists in the area.
Faiz Muhammad Barfat village lies on the border of District Malir and is about two hours away from Karachi’s Jinnah Hospital. The area has only one dispensary and no ambulance service, making it extremely difficult for patients to reach hospitals in time.
Meanwhile, a recent report by the Water Testing and Surveillance Laboratory of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro confirmed the residents’ concerns. The lab results revealed that groundwater samples from the village contained dangerously high levels of salinity, chlorides, total dissolved salts (TDS), and hardness, all exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) standards.
The report clearly stated that the water is “unfit for human consumption.” Residents have demanded the immediate installation of a Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant or provision of alternative sources of clean drinking water.
District Council Member Nawab Deen said that locals have been requesting clean water for years, but the authorities have failed to act.
He confirmed that on October 26, a 55-year-old woman named Singhar, 21-year-old Mehr Ali, and 9-year-old Majeed died, while earlier on October 17, 13-year-old Sakildi, 11-year-old Nazma, 5-year-old Waqas, and 6-year-old Krishma also lost their lives. Doctors at the medical camp have confirmed all seven deaths.
Health experts have warned that without urgent intervention, the situation could worsen, leading to the spread of other waterborne diseases in addition to diarrhea and cholera.
Doctors working at the medical camp said most patients are suffering from watery diarrhea, suggesting that a cholera outbreak may already be underway. They are advising residents to boil water before drinking and wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet.
Doctors also reported that the local dispensary lacks hospital beds, so patients are being treated on charpoys (cots) at the camp with fluid replacement therapy to counter severe dehydration. Some critically ill patients have been transferred to tertiary care hospitals for further treatment.
It is worth noting that several rural and semi-urban areas of Sindh face severe shortages of safe drinking water. Multiple water testing reports have shown that groundwater across much of the province contains dangerously high levels of salts and chemical contaminants.
Residents of Faiz Muhammad Barfat village have appealed to the Sindh government to declare a state of emergency, ensure the supply of clean water, and dispatch medical teams to save more lives before the situation worsens further.